title: No sex-specific difference in disease trajectory in multiple sclerosis patients before and after age 50.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The disease course in multiple sclerosis (MS) is influenced by many factors, including age, sex, and sex hormones. Little is known about sex-specific changes in disease course around age 50, which may represent a key biological transition period for reproductive aging.
  
  
  METHODS
  Male and female subjects with no prior chemotherapy exposure were selected from a prospective MS cohort to form groups representing the years before (38-46 years, N=351) and after (54-62 years, N=200)age 50. Primary analysis assessed for interaction between effects of sex and age on clinical (Expanded Disability Status Scale, EDSS; relapse rate) and radiologic (T2 lesion volume, T2LV; brain parenchymal fraction, BPF) outcomes. Secondarily, we explored patient-reported outcomes (PROs).
  
  
  RESULTS
  As expected, there were age- and sex- related changes with male and older cohorts showing worse disease severity (EDSS), brain atrophy (BPF), and more progressive course.There was no interaction between age and sex on cross-sectional adjusted clinical (EDSS, relapse rate) or radiologic (BPF, T2LV) measures, or on 2-year trajectories of decline.There was a significant interaction between age and sex for a physical functioning PRO (SF-36): the older female cohort reported lower physical functioning than men (p=0.002). There were no differences in depression (Center for Epidemiological Study - Depression, CES-D) or fatigue (Modified Fatigue Impact Scale, MFIS) scores.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There was no interaction between age and sex suggestive of an effect of reproductive aging on clinical or radiologic progression. Prospective analyses across the menopausal transition are needed.
authors.affiliation: Partners Multiple Sclerosis Center, Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Brookline, MA 02445, USA.
authors.forename: Riley
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bove
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Musallam
authors.forename: Brian C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Healy
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Houtchens
authors.forename: Bonnie I
authors.initials: BI
authors.lastname: Glanz
authors.forename: Samia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Khoury
authors.forename: Charles R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Guttmann
authors.forename: Philip L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: De Jager
authors.forename: Tanuja
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chitnis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000375:Aging / Q000473:pathology*; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012727:Sex Characteristics